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Vast and NASA Partner for Haven-1 Space Station Testing
WASHINGTON — Vast, a space technology company, has entered into an agreement with NASA to conduct crucial tests of its Haven-1 space station. This critical testing phase, set to take place at a NASA facility, precedes the planned launch of the commercial space station in 2026.
Environmental Testing at Armstrong Test Facility
In an announcement made on April 3, Vast detailed the agreement with NASA. The accord facilitates environmental testing of the Haven-1 space station at the Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio. This facility, previously known as Plum Brook Station, is equipped for comprehensive evaluations, including thermal vacuum, acoustics, and vibration assessments, essential for verifying spacecraft resilience.
Max Haot, Chief Executive Officer of Vast, stated, “We express our gratitude to NASA for their support in testing the Haven-1 flight vehicle at this historically significant and globally recognized facility. This collaboration underscores the increasing significance of Vast as a partner in commercial space destinations.”
Haven-1 Launch Schedule and Verification
The tests at the Armstrong Test Facility are scheduled to commence in early 2026. These evaluations will rigorously verify the Haven-1 spacecraft‘s ability to withstand both launch and in-space environments. The current timeline anticipates the launch of Haven-1 no sooner than May 2026.
Schedule Adjustment Following Structural Tests
Vast adjusted the Haven-1 launch schedule, which was initially targeted for the latter half of 2025. This revision followed the completion of structural qualification assessments of a Haven-1 prototype at Vast’s Mojave, California, facility. According to Vast in February, these tests validated the module’s design and provided enhanced insight into the manufacturing timeline for the final flight model.
Haven-1 as Precursor to Haven-2
Upon Haven-1 achieving orbit, Vast intends to dispatch up to four crews to the single-module station for brief missions. Vast envisions Haven-1 as a crucial stepping stone, providing essential operational experience for Haven-2. Haven-2 is a larger, more ambitious space station concept proposed by Vast to NASA under its Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destinations (CLD) program. This NASA initiative aims to stimulate the growth of commercial space stations and identify successors to the International Space Station (ISS).
In a February interview, CEO Haot emphasized, “A credible Haven-2 design would not have been feasible without the extensive design maturation work conducted on Haven-1.” He further noted that the central module of Haven-2 will be an expanded variant of the Haven-1 module, sharing 80% to 90% of its components.
Vast’s Participation in NASA’s CLD Program
While Vast is not currently participating in Phase 1 of the CLD program, which includes NASA support for space station concepts from Axiom Space, Blue Origin, and Starlab Space, the company does hold an unfunded Space Act Agreement with the agency for technical collaboration. NASA anticipates releasing a draft solicitation for Phase 2 of CLD in the summer, followed by the final version in the fall. Phase 2 will provide funding for the certification of commercial space stations for NASA utilization and the procurement of services from these stations.
Phase 2 of the CLD program will be accessible to all companies, extending beyond those involved in Phase 1. NASA is projected to announce the CLD Phase 2 awards in the summer of 2026.